PB orders Tudela officer to explain budget delay

CEBU - Despite its much-delayed submission to Capitol, the Provincial Board’s committee on budget and finance yesterday approved the 2008 annual budget of the Municipality of Tabuelan.

But the committee has directed Tabuelan budget officer Carmen Ruelan to put into writing her explanation on the delay, saying the committee has been strict in dealing with other town like Borbon, Argao and Santander.

“We are strict with Borbon, Argao, Santander and other local government units.  There is no reason that we have to be lenient to them,” said board member Victor Maambong, the committee’s vice chairman.

The Tabuelan municipal council passed its 2008 budget, amounting to over P32 million, last November 14, 2007, but this was only forwarded to the Provincial Board last month.

Ruelan had admitted her lapses on the submission but Maambong said a verbal explanation is not enough.

Board member Wenceslao Gakit, chairman of the committee on budget and finance, said this is the second time that the town was late in submitting its annual budget.  It was also late in seeking approval for its budget last year.

“She admitted on her loopholes in transmitting the budget, which we believe the mayor had not known on this matter,” Gakit told reporters.

The committee found no defect on the 2008 budget but Maambong directed the town’s local finance committee to check whether the items under the 20-percent development fund are indeed the ones covered by the fund.  “I found out that 20-percent development fund mostly spent in the maintenance of daycare, waterworks and barangay hall,” Maambong added.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, municipal governments are required to submit their yearly budgets for review by their respective provincial boards. – Garry B. Lao/JMO (THE FREEMAN)